: Stock-----
1/2 c dried vegetable soup mix
3 c slightly aged chopped white
: mushrooms
3 c water
: Stew-----
1/2 rutabaga -- halved then
: thinly s
1 c white mushrooms -- slightly
: aged, halve
6 sm shitake -- coarsely
: chopped
1 TB olive oil
: salt and pepper to taste
5 garlic cloves -- finely
: chopped
1/2 c dry sherry
1 md yellow onion -- cut into
: lg piece
1 md carrot -- peeled, 1/2"
: slices
2 md russet potatos -- in 1/2 of
1/2 " slice
1 md fennel bulb -- quartered,
: in 1/2" s
2 TB fresh thyme -- chopped or 2
: ts dri
2 TB fresh marjoram -- chopped
: or 2 tsp dri
2 TB fresh parsley -- chopped or
2 ts dri
This began last night as an effort to make the Winter
Vegetable Pie recipe in the _Fields of Greens_
cookbook just acquired (and thanks to those who sent
advice on the book last month). As usual, however, we
varied a great deal, so the result is greatly
different from the book's--but was wonderful. We
realized that the recipe started with "Mushroom
stock," which would take 3 hours to make. Since it
was already 7 in the evening, that was out. The
celery root we thought was in the vegetable bin was a
rutabaga; we had six shitake to use up. So we
improvised: Stock: Gently simmer, until reduced to
about 2 cups liquid.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet;
add the mushrooms, pinch of salt, 2 or 3 grinds of
pepper. Sear the mushrooms over high heat until
golden. Add half the garlic and deglaze the pan with
half the sherry. When the pan is almost dry, transfer
the mushrooms to a bowl. Heat the remaining tablespoon
of olive oil in stew pot and add the onion, pinch of
salt, 2 grinds of pepper; saute until onion is
transparent. Add the remaining garlic, rutabaga,
carrot, potatos, and fennel, saute for 5 minutes. Add
the mushrooms, herbs, and the reduced stock. Cover
and simmer until vegetables are soft and flavors
melded, about 30 minutes over medium/medium low heat.
Serve over grain, pasta, or polenta (we used a mixed
spiral spinach pasta and basmati rice left over from
previous meals), with crusty bread, bread sticks, or
pretzels. The _Fields of Greens_ book takes its
mixture, pours it into a 9 inch round baking dish,
then covers it with a white pastry cover, with an egg
wash on it (there goes the vegan listing!), then bakes
in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Our variation
worked well; we ate at about 8:45 (which is fairly
normal for us), a rich and warming stew with the
temperature outside at -5, wind chill -37. We'll try
some different root vegetables next time, and perhaps
add tofu slices as well.
